TORONTO — Time is a peculiar thing on the soccer pitch. There's nothing like it in sports. 

Teams have 90 minutes to affect a match, but what happens between the boundaries is also at the mercy of the clock's last gasp. Like the players on the pitch, when time catches its second wind, it can often determine a game's outcome. 

But while time waits for no one, the Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold men's soccer team has waited all season for this specific moment. 

The Bold take on the Carleton Ravens in the quarterfinal round of the OUA Playoffs on Oct.18 at Downsview Park, but this matchup has been on their mind from the very beginning of the season. 

After their home opener draw against the Queen's Gaels on Sept. 4, Bold Head Coach Fil Prostran urged his side to keep their eyes on the big picture. 

"I told the guys nothing changes…you've got to beat U of T, you've got to beat Carleton," said Prostran. "Before this game, we had to do that. After this result, we still have to do that." 

Forty-three days later, TMU gets an opportunity to check off another thing on their championship bucket list. 

Time has a knack for repeating itself when it involves the Bold and Ravens because this isn't the first time they have gotten in each other's way during the playoffs. TMU defeated Carleton 2-1 in overtime during last year's quarterfinal round. In 2022, the Bold won again by the same score. Both matches took place at Downsview Park.

Now the nationally ranked Bold (No. 5) and Ravens (No. 10) are ready to complete the four-year trilogy. 

One player the Bold will lean on is midfielder Justin Santos. The senior led the Bold in assists (four) and finished second in goals (five) this season. The Ravens have seen plenty of Santos over the years. His experience and resume make him perfectly suited to help TMU handle a Carleton team that finished tied for third in the league in goals and fourth in goals against. 

"I've played Carleton twice in the playoffs and both games were extremely close," said Santos. "I think the key thing to take us over the edge is just being clinical in front of the net and we have to punish the big chances away."

TMU concluded its regular season with a 1-1 draw against Carleton on Oct. 10 to extend its undefeated streak to six. The team's recent success propelled them to an 8-1-3 record and a top-two finish in the OUA East standings. But the Bold didn't necessarily have the perfect start to the year, going winless in three of their first six games. 

For Prostran and his coaching staff, it was less of a false start and more about the team biding its time. Since taking over the role, Prostran has elevated the program to a point where success is defined by what happens in the post-season. 

"We've run through the league in years past and have gone undefeated, and then we face adversity in the playoffs, and it's a new experience for us," said Prostran earlier in the year. "So I'd rather get some adversity during the season, and then in the playoffs, it won't be foreign to us."

The OUA playoffs have become a staple in TMU lore, with the Bold making yearly post-season appearances. The only other aspect of a typical Bold campaign that comes with a similar level of certainty is their dominance at home. TMU is 18-0-2 while playing at Downsview Park since 2023. 

Bold centre-back Noah Bickford, who has NCAA Division I experience and was recruited this past summer, didn't get to witness the prior two playoff victories against Carleton at home. But in Bickford's first year with the team, it didn't take long for him to realize what it meant to play on TMU's home pitch.

"The home record speaks for itself and with that record comes a responsibility and standard newer players like myself need to uphold," said Bickford. "It is a privilege to represent TMU, everybody in the program knows it and is willing to do whatever it takes to ensure we advance." 

Carleton boasts a stellar defence of its own, especially when supported by the offence. When the Ravens score at least two goals, they are 6-0-3 this season. Bickford believes the Bold defence is up for the challenge and credits the team's resiliency as the reason. 

"Since the beginning, we have trusted each other and our coaching staff and have grown exponentially," said Bickford. "Through that learning process and the adversity we all have stuck together." 

One player who represents the importance of the Bold's learning process is midfielder Brandon Verburg. The rookie scored one goal in his first six games as part of the Bold. In the second half of a 12-game season, Verburg found his footing and recorded a goal or an assist in three of the final six matches. 

Despite only starting four games, Verburg carved out an integral role for himself. According to Verburg, the Bold's culture set him and his teammates up for success, ultimately preparing them for high-pressure moments that come with the playoffs.

"We know every game moving forward is going to be a battle," said Verburg. "Our chemistry is exceptional…having such a deep roster where everyone can play is a big part of our success and having players who can come in and work hard during their time on the field is important to us."

The depth is the heart of this year's team, and it's the Bold's steadfast belief in this that carried them to the end of the season. During their six-game undefeated stretch, nine different players scored, while seven players registered an assist. It'll take a similar mentality and complete team effort to knock off the Ravens. 

"Performing against the big teams in big games makes or breaks your season and we've shown we can compete at the top," said Santos. "Now it gets taken up a notch in the playoffs, so we have to be ready to go for 90 minutes." 

Even as the next chapter of the Bold's season unfolds, the team doesn't feel pressure. Instead, they're eager to take the pitch, because this is what they knew their season was building to.

"The excitement around this game is the highest yet, and I believe we will thrive off of the excitement and use it to our advantage," said Verburg. "We are ready for what Saturday has to offer." 

Whatever results the weekend's quarterfinal produces, one thing is guaranteed. The Bold and the Ravens will find out which team lives to fight another day and which team was on borrowed time.